


Holding On For Dear Life

by abyssobrotulaCronos



Category: Free!
Genre: Chef!Haruka, Fluff and just a bit of angst because everyone knows I can't live without it, Future Fic, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, fireman!makoto, the Tachibana twins are grown up!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-02
Updated: 2014-10-02
Packaged: 2018-02-19 14:32:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2391824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abyssobrotulaCronos/pseuds/abyssobrotulaCronos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"– Oh! – miss Kin seems startled (...) – I’m very sorry. You’re Mr. Tachibana’s husband, aren’t you?</p><p>Haruka nods, fists clenching.</p><p>– He’s still in surgery, but you can wait with his siblings at the family area of his room. It’s the fourth one on the third floor, the elevator is there – she points to a metallic door and when turns back to face the blue-eyed man, he’s not there anymore."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Holding On For Dear Life

**Author's Note:**

> Some h/c to compensate the heavy angst of the last story.  
> Also, happy October! The year went by so fast, I'm impressed.

Haruka isn't thinking straight when he leaves his work in a hurry and steps into the hospital at maximum speed. He barely has time to warn his co-workers of the emergence and take his apron off, but manages to do it in record time, sprinting towards the street to find a taxi. His movements are fast and not cautious at all during the race from the car to the nearest nurse, nor his words when he asks – blurts – where is the room he’s looking for.

– Are you family? – she asks in a thoughtful way, checking her clipboard and guiding him to the reception.

He has to breathe a few times to restrain anger. _This is a hospital and this girl has nothing to do with what happened_ , rings in his head (and maybe, just maybe, his guts are right this time). Getting upset will only make things harder, this can wait.

– I am.

– I am sorry, I only have three names here, see? – the nurse says tentatively, almost like she can tell he has nothing to do with the Tachibanas. At least not regarding to blood – Ren and Ran Tachibana and Haruka Nanase. Ren and Ran are already inside.

He takes another deep breath, counting silently to ten. – I’m Haruka Nanase.

– Oh! – miss Kin seems startled while she writes something on the paper – I’m very sorry, sir. You’re Mr. Tachibana’s husband, aren’t you?

Haruka nods, fists clenching.

– He’s still in surgery, but you can wait with his siblings at the family area of his room. It’s the fourth one on the third floor, the elevator is there – she points to a metallic door and when turns back to face the blue-eyed man, he’s not there anymore.

*

– Haru-chan! – two voices scream in spite of the multiple warnings to keep silent that are plastered everywhere in the building. Ren and Ran stand up together when Haruka opens the door and both hug him from separate sides.

It's very warm and they’re taller than him, but it’s not a foreign feeling, because Haruka is used to see them almost every week not they're living in Tokyo as well and the Tachibana genes obviously gave it away since Makoto hit puberty.

Makoto, Makoto...

Haruka’s grip is unintentionally weak when he returns the affection. – Where is he?

– Haru-chan... – Ran whines, carding one hard through the short hair. Haruka remembers the day she cut it on their bathroom, claiming she was tired of the plain, old, common look – he got here one hour ago, we've been waiting since then. They... They said his lungs...

– Are very, very damaged – Ren continues when his sister can't – there are burns all over his body... He wasn't even breathing...

Ren voice dies and Haruka wants to break everything in sight. The thing inside him that seems to be in constant slumber is awake now and rattling everything inside his chest, destroying wires and biting on flesh, fueled by worry and lack of patience, stronger than ever.

He knows well it’s Makoto job, he knows well it’s his duty to save everyone in sight and even the ones not in sight, but still... It isn't fair if he doesn't save himself, if he... Haruka is being plainly selfish when he thinks, _what about me? Won’t you save me too? Won’t you save Ren and Ran? What about your mother? You had any idea of the way her voice trembled when I called her on my way here, Makoto?_

– Is he... Are there any risks? – the older man whispers, still with his arms around the others' shoulders.

He can’t have a fit, not now and not ever, he concludes when he looks at the twins' faces, he has to be strong for them, that are almost like his own children. He will have to suck his emotions up and sit down on the couch to see what is going to happen with his husband whilst keeping his despair at bay, hands shaking, almost distracted if not by the constant gulps and blinking of eyelashes that gave away all his inner situation.

– Not anymore – Ran says with a relief that doesn’t make the situation any easier on him – we’re worried about will happen after, that’s all...

And Haruka understands, because he is too. He’s heard terrible stories of relatives that couldn't walk or breathe properly after an accident, even went to visit an aunt that lost movements of her body and...

No, no, no. That won’t happen. That will absolutely not happen. Makoto is stronger than he imagines.

*

One more hour passes until a man wearing glasses and a tag that says **Dr. Katsuro** enters the small room with a solemn expression. It scares the shit out of the three a bit, but he tells them the surgery was a success and Makoto, even though unable to speak and breathe on his own for now, is allowed to receive visits. There were not further complications and he’s going to be well in some weeks with proper rest and care. Haruka surely will provide both.

He feels like he’s going to cry. The twins do, but it’s brief and out of sheer happiness, embracing each other, acknowledging their brother is going to be fine.

– Please don’t be loud and try not to make him move too much, his skin was damaged, but luckily only around the torso. He’s on painkillers, so he might be very dizzy. Be careful – he finally grins, showing them the way.

*

Ren and Ran let Haruka go first and he enters the room still as worried as he was two hours ago. The sight doesn’t help him too much.

Makoto is full of red-tinted wires and has a huge tube going down his throat, a machine connected to it and making slow, steady sounds. He’s wearing a light hospital gown and under it Haruka can recognize the bandages around his chest. His veins are being pumped with blood and the length of his arms is also covered by curatives. Not a pretty sight, but somehow peaceful and the most important of all, safe.

When Nanase finally gets by his side, he carefully holds the bigger hand in between cold fingers, result of painful moments of uncertainty. Ren and Ran are on the other side of the bed, eyeing Makoto with as much love and fear as one single gaze can bear.

Makoto opens his eyes.

He blinks twice to adjust to the light, then looks over Haruka, all the weight of the world inside the green scenery of his eyes. Of course he’d be worried about his family, this is Makoto, the Makoto who’d move mountains to make sure everyone around him was safe even in a moment like this, unable to take care of himself (or of anything else, really). Haruka usually feels bad when he has his doubts in moments of rage like the one from two hours ago, he knows it’s not Makoto’s fault, he's just too altruist.

 _Be a little more selfish,_ he often tells the brunet. But life isn't fair.

Haruka can’t control the tears that pool in the corner of his eyes when Makoto squeezes his hand back. The twins squeal in the lowest tone possible to express cheerful kindness and the older Tachibana turns his head to them, trying to smile and failing terribly at it.

*

Haruka finds himself alone with Makoto after one hour of settling down the concern and listening to happy blabbering – not on his part, of course. The presence of Ren and Ran made everything easier, they talked about everything and soothed Makoto’s heavy eyes just by being there to lighten up the mood. Not that his husband wouldn't be able to do the same, but it would involve less words, more tiny kisses over his palm and meaningful looks.

Which is exactly what happens after the double hurricane leaves with the promise of coming back after dinner. Haruka tells them he’s going to stay until they get back only because he knows the three Tachibanas will be angry as hell if he doesn’t eat something or at least rest a bit. He has plans of doing it on the sofa by Makoto’s bed, but he won’t tell anyone yet. The restaurant can go without him for another day, Aiichirou is a good boy and knows how to deal with unforeseen happenings – mainly when they are unfortunate. It's a plus that everyone there absolutely loves Makoto...

And talking about him. The bigger man closes his eyes, fingers still caressing Haruka’s, chest rising and falling peacefully, though mechanically. Nonetheless, alive.

– Don’t ever... Don’t you ever do that again – Haruka mutters after minutes of silence that go by when he finishes talking about his uneventful morning before the call. This time the words are heavy in a way Makoto doesn’t ever want to hear again in his life.

He tries to smile once more and stretches the right arm to the other man, the pinky finger sticking out. It’s a promise!

Haruka smiles for the first time that day and hooks his own pinky on Makoto’s. He can finally breathe again.


End file.
